What's your project?
Whear?
Articles & Advice > All Walls & Ceilings Articles > Wallpaper Borders and Wall Border Stencils

Wallpaper Borders and Wall Border Stencils

Walls & Ceilings

Related Content

Find Top-Rated Professionals

Even people who have personally designed the rooms in their home can get tired of looking at the same monotone wall every day. One easy way to add a little color and character to a room that's getting a bit dry is with a wallpaper border or wall border stencil.

Wallpaper Borders
Those looking for a quick and easy fix for the bare wall blues, look no further! Wallpaper borders are easy to put up and come in a wide array of styles. They can add just enough accent to make the room more interesting, without altering its original charm.

Purchasing wallpaper borders is less expensive than painting or papering an entire wall. It is also a project that almost anyone can complete in a few hours. They can be installed just at the top of a wall, or on the bottom, too. Most require only a few common tools to put up, and only enough experience to know what looks good.

If you can't find a wallpaper border that suits you, or you're looking for something truly unique, you can try making your own borders out of sheets of wallpaper. This will increase the styles and patterns you have to choose from. Some might consider making borders out of vintage wallpaper. The vintage stuff is often expensive to cover a whole room with, but a very good looking border can be made of the same paper for a fraction of the cost. The process is a bit more involved with a vintage border because much of the paper is not self adhesive, and must be stuck on with a separate glue.

Wall Border Stencils
If you have a more artistic bent, a wall border stencil might be a good option for you. The craft itself is very old, but you'll have the luxury of working with materials not available back then. Once you've got your design drawn, you trace it onto stencil paper (not paper at all, it's a very thin but firm sheet of translucent plastic). Cut it out with a utility knife or craft knife, and then you're ready to paint.

Give your home a fresh look! Use this link to hire a local
House Painter

If you don't want to make a stencil yourself, you can find them already made in a variety of designs. If you've never worked with a stencil before, it's worth trying out on a piece of cardboard or wood that won't be a permanent fixture in your home. They can be a bit tricky and may require some practice. While it's certainly possible to use a paint brush or roller with your stencil, anyone who has access to an airbrush or paint sprayer will have an easier time.

Existing Wall Borders
If you already have wood borders on your walls, doors, and windows, changing their color can easily alter the look of a room. Painting borders, while not as time consuming as painting whole walls, needs to be every bit as well planned. Make sure to put tape around the edges of the border, and make sure it's painter's tape. Many have fallen victim to pulled up paint chips by using scotch tape as a substitute.

Jon Nunan is a freelance writer who draws on his experience in construction, ranging from landscaping to log home building, for his articles on home improvement.

Rate This Article

OVERALL RATING Be first to rate this article!

YOUR RATING

Very PoorPoorFairGoodVery Good

Log-in to save your ratings!

Recommend This Article
Digg This Digg
Submit to Reddit Reddit
Bookmark This Del.icio.us
ServiceMagic Articles To-Go

Add to Google

Add to My AOL 0

What's Your Project?

Are You a Quality Pro? Contractors Join Here
More Tips & Advice For Your Home
Related Articles
Recent Articles
Videos
The Story of Jane The Story of Jane

When you're having a hard time trying to choose one service professional over another, ServiceMagic is the best way to make an informed choice.  Watch Now

By using ServiceMagic you agree to our Terms & Conditions
SUBJECT GUIDES: Plumbers | Electricians | Kitchen Remodeling
FOR HOMEOWNERS: Categories | Projects | Contractor Directory | Community | Tell a Friend | Blog | Refer-A-Pro | Screen-A-Pro | Guarantee | Seal of Approval
FOR CONTRACTORS: Contractor Advertising | Construction Jobs | Contractor Leads / Join Our Network
FOR OTHER NEEDS: Contractors for Your Business | Events | Care
SERVICEMAGIC SITE: Home Improvement | Log In | About Us | Contact | Help | Careers | Site Map | Articles | Galleries | Videos | Project Tools | RSS Feed | Affiliates
LEGAL: Privacy (Updated) | Terms & Conditions
INTERNATIONAL: ServiceMagic UK | Travaux | 123Devis
Follow Us on Twitter Become a Fan of ServiceMagic at Facebook Get the IPhone App for free
© Copyright 1999-2009, ServiceMagic, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Better Homes and Gardens Member of the Better Homes and Gardens Network